German Brewers Fined $319M For Cartel

BERLIN (AP) -- Germany's antitrust authority has fined a group of brewers 231.2 million euros ($319 million) for their part in alleged illegal beer-price fixing — the second round of punishment in the case.

The Federal Cartel Office said Wednesday it imposed the fines on six companies, with Radeberger and the German unit of Danish brewer Carlsberg accounting for the lion's share. Also fined were the regional breweries' association in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, and seven individuals who weren't identified.

The office had already announced fines totaling 106.5 million euros in January against another five companies over price-fixing between 2006 and 2008.

The investigation was launched on information from the German branch of Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA, which wasn't fined as a result of its cooperation.